Museum of Abernethy

Museum of Abernethy

The excellent Museum of Abernethy stands in the heart of the
historic village of Abernethy, a short
distance down a narrow wynd from the village's best known landmark, the
Abernethy Round Tower. It opened in 2000
and the following year it became an STB 4 Star Visitor Attraction.

The building occupied by the museum dates back to the 1700s and
stands on land that was once owned by Abernethy's ancient Culdee Monastery. Until
work began to convert it into a museum at the end of the 1990s, the building
housed stables and a byre. The character of the building was carefully
respected during the conversion, and today it is possible to see some of the
old internal stone walls, and part of the cobbled floor.

The museum mounts a range of exhibitions and since its launch it has
continued to collect objects that relate to the history of the parish. It is
also seeking to record the living memories of residents of the village and
surrounding area, and is building a photographic archive covering the village
and the lives and occupations of villagers.

The museum comprises a large ground floor area, divided by remains
of old internal walls into two unequal parts, one of which is home to the
reception and shop. There is also an upper floor occupying one end of the
building. A door in the rear of the museum gives access to a courtyard in which
there are artefacts and exhibitions about the area's farming heritage and in
particular about Salmon fishing on the River Tay.

Abernethy is rich in history, and the museum reflects many aspects
of it. Three historical elements form the permanent core of its displays, with
temporary exhibitions covering other aspects of life, changing on an annual
basis. These can cover subjects as diverse as the Abernethy Biscuit; churches
in and around Abernethy; textiles; the
village in world war two; and fruit growing in the area.

The first of the permanent exhibitions relates to the
Abernethy Round Tower, one of only two
such towers to survive in Scotland (the other is in
Brechin). The museum is one of
two places in Abernethy where you can
borrow a key to view the interior of the tower and enjoy the views from the top. The
second core element of the displays relates to
Abernethy's role as a capital of Pictish
Kings. Moving back in time still further, the third permanent exhibition
relates to the Roman presence in the area, and their establishment of a major
fort nearby on the banks of the River Tay at Carpow.